The Raiders started 4 of 21 from the field, went 10 of 36 in the first half and finished 24 of 68 (35.3%).
It was their most lopsided defeat since falling, 96-52, at Purdue on Nov. 16, 2021.
“I knew Kentucky was good offensively, and that’s certainly what we spent 90% of our (practice) time on. But in person, they’re much better,” Wright State coach Clint Sargent said on his post-game radio show.
“I’m disappointed in a lot of areas. I didn’t feel like our prep leading up to this was in a place where we were extremely confident. But you’ve got to give coach (Mark) Pope a ton of credit. I didn’t really see a flaw in their team.”
The 23rd-rated Wildcats shot 58% in the first half and 60% (39 of 65) for the night.
They started 11 of 17, and a pair of 3′s from former Dayton star Koby Brea in a 30-second span helped to push the margin to 16 early in the first half.
The 6-foot-7 wing finished with 18 points, going 7 of 8 from the field and 4 of 4 on 3′s after leading the country in 3-point shooting last season (49.8%).
Otega Oweh had a game-high 21.
Junior forward Brandon Noel had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Raiders. He was 8 of 21 from the field but just 1 of 8 on 3′s.
Senior wing Alex Huibregtse had 16 points and seemed the least fazed by the Rupp Arena crowd, scoring eight of the team’s first 16 points. He was 6 of 12 from the field
Redshirt freshman wing Soloman Callaghan had 15 points off the bench, going 7 of 9.
Junior starting point guard Keaton Norris was one of many who struggled, going 0 of 9 from the field.
The Raiders, who finished ninth in the nation in 3-point shooting last season at 38.3%, went 3 of 17 in the first half and 5 of 27 (18.5%) for the game.
“We have to embrace some of the ugliness of this,” Sargent said. “They’re very good. But (the players) are pretty heartbroken. That’s where I want them, and that’s where I am, too. We’re much better than this.”
WEDNESDAY’S GAME
Ohio Christian at Wright State, 7 p.m., 101.5, 1410
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